This invention relates to controlling web-based network communications on the Internet and more particularly it relates to a customizable system for both filtering web-based Internet requests for outbound access to web sites and for controlling web-based Internet requests for inbound access by others of a web site of the system.
The World Wide Web provides minimal security protection for its users and service providers. Major service providers create expensive and complex security zones to control the inbound user access. The cost prohibitive and complex nature of this solution is not suitable for a growing number of small business with simple computer systems.
Different security threats exist for Internet users where WWW browsers can provide unlimited access to many unsuitable resources, unsuitable for users within a certain age and preference. Occasionally, the highjacking of the user browser's control poses annoying problems. Parents having Internet enabled computers at home feel helpless and concerned about the future of their children who may access inappropriate adult Internet content in their absence.
The present invention addresses these concerns and more and it may provide, in summary a combination customizable system for filtering web-based requests for outbound access to web sites and for controlling web-based requests for inbound access by others of a web site of the system. It includes an administrative module that may include configuration settings for inbound and outbound communications, list maintenance functions and that may be located in a user computer for configuring a range of access levels from maximum access to full suspension and may have administrator account, regular accounts and one anonymous guest account to be used by general users with no system-based account. If a user attempts to access an unfriendly site the user may be anonymously forwarded to a friendly site. A first proxy server which is a firewall system in each user computer of a local area network may have access to the world wide web, may have a customizable friendly and unfriendly outbound list, one of which may be active and a customizable friendly and unfriendly inbound list, one of which may be active. A second HTTP proxy server may exist between the first proxy and the Internet and may be located as a gateway of a Local Area Network system or at an Internet Service Provider. The second proxy server may be capable of communicating to a HTTP proxy server of a destination or directly to a destination and may have an Internet Protocol address known only to the system's first proxy server administrator. The system may automatically generate a logfile of all web sites visited by each user. For single users in a home or office the second proxy may be provided through the Internet Server Provider.